18/02/2012

Football and Filipinos Overseas

The
Philippine Men’s National Football team, or the Azkals as they are popularly
known, just concluded their training camp in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) where they played against some tough and skilled opposition in three
practice matches: the Uzbek U23 team; Qatari 1st division club
Al-Ahli; and the Australian U23.

I
felt the Azkals played fairly well with the exception of the match against the
young Uzbek team. The defense was pretty porous and they were trying to match
the frenetic pace the Uzbeks were playing, though to be objective, the Uzbeks
were a very good and highly skilled team with very fluid movement and good
chemistry. This was the first match where the Azkals lost 3-0, but the
succeeding matches (3-1 win against Al-Ahli and a 1-0 loss to the Aussies)
showed they’ve addressed a number of problem areas and there was marked
improvement in their performance.

Anyway,
I am sure there are lots of stuff written out there about the matches; how the
players performed, how the coach fared, the technical matters and stuff, etc. So
I’m not going to delve into that, but rather focus on a feature of any Azkals
away match: Filipino fans and supporters.

As I
watched on TV the Azkals’ matches during their UAE tour, one thing I noticed
about the TV coverage of the matches is that the director did a lot of shots
and close-ups of the crowd, almost all of them Filipinos. Well, crowd shots and
close-ups are a regular staple of TV coverage of football matches. Heck, whenever
Brazil is playing you can safely bet your house that the director is going to
put in a shot of female Brazilian fans, a number of whom would be in bikini
tops. However, this particular director somehow enjoyed featuring the colorful
and animated reactions of the crowd. I had a good feeling these crowd shots
were a bit more than the usual based on the griping I would hear beside me on
the couch to get the cameras back on the action happening on the pitch.

Personally
though, I enjoyed watching our kababayans on TV having a grand time at the
matches. It vividly brought back memories and the feelings we experienced when
watching the Azkals in their various home matches at the Rizal Memorial
Coliseum’s football field. It was those scenes of excitement, passion and
enjoyment so evident on our fellow Filipinos faces and actuations as they
cheered the Azkals that inspired me to write this piece and share some of my
thoughts about football and Filipinos overseas.

Whether
in the thousands or just a handful, the Azkals appear to be assured of having
support in the stands whenever they play away from home. Vietnam, Indonesia,
Mongolia, Germany, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates,
Taiwan, Singapore or Qatar, there have been Filipinos in the stands cheering on
the Azkals. Considering the number of Filipinos scattered around the globe,
this is not surprising. With around a tenth of our population overseas, it is
always likely that fellow Filipinos will be present to support them whenever
they play in a major city.

We
all know of course the value of having crowd support in the stadium. It
motivates the players and gives them an extra boost to go all-out and try to
win the match and not let the fans and supporters down. In return, the team and
the players provide the fans and supporters not only excitement, passion and
even fun, but a sense of pride as well. Those of us who have been in the stands
watching our teams play and cheering them on knows these feelings all too well.

However,
as I look at our kababayans in Dubai and Doha being featured on TV as they
watched the Azkals’ matches, I can’t help but think how much more pronounced
and significant the occasion is for them. It’s quite an experience already to
be absorbed in the energy, passion and vibes of a match in Rizal, along with
thousands of other Filipinos. I’d say that feeling and experience would be much
more intense when in a foreign country, especially if you’ve been in that
country for some time now, away from family and friends back home in the
Philippines.

In
my work I’ve had the opportunity to travel all over the world. One thing my
colleagues and I notice is how quickly Filipinos connect whenever they run into
each other overseas, particularly those who have been away from home for so
long. These even include those who have migrated and settled in their adopted
country and raised families there. The connection to the homeland and things
Filipino remain very strong with Filipinos overseas. You could see their joy in
meeting a kababayan, their craving for news and stuff from the Motherland.

So
can you just imagine how they would be feeling to have their national team
represent them and play for them? The images on TV revealed quite a lot about
their experience, and that is why I enjoyed every moment those scenes would be
flashed on the screen.

You
see, this isn’t just about showing support for Philippine football and the
country. It is just as much about making an effort to give Filipinos
overseas an opportunity to enjoy, feel proud about themselves and of being a Filipino.
Every time an Azkal fights for the ball, takes a shot at goal, throws his body
to block a shot, etc. that player isn’t just doing that for the team and the
country, he’s also doing that for every individual in the stands cheering him
on. Considering that a good number of those individuals have been there for
some time, in a foreign land, different culture, badly missing loved ones,
friends and home, having an opportunity to relish and revel in the communal
experience and passion of a live football match would definitely be an occasion
to remember and cherish.

As
can be seen from experience, there is everything to gain from overseas
activities such as this training camp and/or away matches. Football and
Filipinos overseas make a good argument for continuing these types of
activities. As the Azkals gain much needed match experience and enhance their
ability as a team, Filipinos overseas get an opportunity to enjoy themselves
and to feel proud.

As I
recall those scenes and images on TV of our kababayans out there having the
time of their lives watching our Azkals play and making us proud, I can’t help
but feel happy for them for having had that wonderful opportunity. I’m sure the
PFF and the management of the Azkals will make sure that those very same
opportunities will be made available to other Filipinos overseas in the
future.

In
the meantime, it’s our turn here back at home come February 29. Go Azkals! WE
BELIEVE!!!

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About Me

Recently resigned civil servant from the Philippine Foreign Service. Specializes in Protocol and served 3 Philippine Presidents. Assigned with her diplomat husband and son to Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles and Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. for 6 and a half years.
I live .. I ignore warning labels. I revel in the pressure, the adrenaline.. that feeling of being on the edge and the fast pace that characterizes life.. welcome to my world!